→Taylor-expansion is a method of approximating a function f(x) around a point a with a polynomial of the argument x in the vicinity of a. The polynomial itself consists of the derivatives of the function of various orders.
Tn(x) = f(a) + f ‘ (a) (x-a) + f ”(a) (x-a)2/2! + f(3)(x) (x-a)3/3! + …. + R(x). The Taylor-expansion of the exponential function is:
e<sup>x<\sup> = 1 + x + x2/2 + x3/3! + ……. + xn/n!
To prove the validity of this statement consider the special case of MacLaurin-polynomials were a function is expanded around x=0. Observe the polynomials
p(x) = a +bx + cx2 + dx3
p'(x) = b + 2cx + 3dx2
p”(x) = 2c + 2 *3dx.
x= 0 in each of those equalities and get expressions for the coefficients a,b,c and d. p(0) = a → a=p(0)
p'(0) = b → b = p'(0)
p”(0) = 2c → c = p”(0)/2
p(3) (0) = 2•3 d → d= p(3)(0)/ 2•3
Therefore the given polynomial can be written as
p(x) = p(0) + p'(0) x + p”(0)x2 /2+ p(3)(0)/3 !+ ……..pn(0) Xn\n!